This invention relates to resilient storage vessels which may be collapsed to dispense fluid from the vessel, and more particularly to such storage vessels which may be dropped from helicopters and the like into remote locations, and which may be compressed between the ground and a vehicle traction means to deliver fluid from the vessel.
Storage vessels of the collapsible type are well known and offer advantages particularly for the remote delivery of fluids where electrical power for pumping is not readily available. In one such application the vessel contains water or other fire extinguishing material which is dropped by helicopter into remote areas to help extinguish a fire. In another example, the collapsible vessel is used to refuel a military vehicle such as a tank when engaged in a combat zone. The tank simply is driven up onto the collapsible vessel causing it to pressurize the vessel and to dispense the liquid contained in the vessel through a line connected between the outlet of the vessel and the fuel tank of the military vehicle.
Collapsible vessels of the aforementioned type are taught, for instance, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,567,918 to Curiel and 4,597,425 to Tally. The vessel constructions shown in these patents, while useful, are difficult to manufacture in practice. For instance, the construction shown in U.S. Pat. 4,597,425 is built up on a mandrel by interconnecting the respective end portions to the body portion of the vessel. To remove this preform from the mandrel, the body portion must be severed apart, and then respliced after removal from the mandrel. This splice area not only entails additional manufacturing steps, but in certain instances may be prone to leakage when pressurized, or when air dropped to the ground.
The state of the prior art is also represented by U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,865,419 and 2,969,102 to Cunningham.
It is an object of this invention to provide a collapsible storage and dispensing vessel which is rugged in construction, which will withstand severe impact loads and remain sealed under elevated internal pressure, and which easily accommodates a traction vehicle to effect pressurization of the vessel.
It is another object of the invention to provide the foregoing vessel construction which is relatively easy to manufacture and whose central body portion is continuous rather than spliced.